The DogTown pet hotel, located in a private house in Sharapovo village, was marketed as an elite establishment offering dog training programs lasting from two weeks to three months. However, in reality, animals reportedly suffered abuse, were kept in dirty cages, and subjected to beatings. The mistreatment came to light after a client received her dog back from the hotel with visible injuries.
The Investigative Committee has interrogated employees of the DogTown pet hotel in Chekhov, Moscow Region, following numerous complaints of animal cruelty. The facility, situated in a private residence in Sharapovo village, was promoted as a high-end dog hotel. It advertised several stay options: two weeks for basic skill development, one month for advanced command refinement, and three months for “turnkey training.” The owners boasted, “We create the most comfortable dog.” The cost of boarding was 3,500 rubles per day.
However, investigations revealed that animals were held in unsanitary conditions in cages, subjected to physical abuse, and even electroshock. Despite these conditions, the establishment maintained a facade of positive reviews. Owners Karina and Maria would send clients photos of seemingly well-cared-for dogs, briefly taking them out of cages for these staged pictures.
The abuse became public after a client received her dog from the hotel with undeniable injuries. Alexey Sklyarenko, an honorary lawyer in Russia and author of a popular Telegram channel, commented on the situation:
Alexey Sklyarenko
Honorary Lawyer of Russia, Author of a Telegram Channel“To say this is common practice would be wrong, but it`s certainly not an exception, 100%. The media frequently publishes similar information. This constitutes animal cruelty under Article 245 of the Criminal Code. The maximum penalty ranges from three to five years of imprisonment. However, such severe actual sentences are rarely applied, unless it`s established that all or several employees at this location treated these animals with equal cruelty. In such cases, the investigation would consider a group of persons by prior conspiracy or an organized group. I believe a three-year sentence could easily be handed down. This is not a serious offense, so I think a preventive measure like a travel ban has been imposed.”
Animal rights activist Olga Eremeeva discussed the frequency of negligent animal care at boarding facilities and how to assess their quality:
Olga Eremeeva
Animal Rights Activist“Is this an exception or a common practice? The thing is, services like boarding and training are indeed in high demand. It`s essentially a goldmine, with hundreds of options in Moscow and the region. One might think that fierce competition would lead to improved service quality. But this isn`t about the specifics of the occupation; it`s, as always, solely about the human factor—when an unscrupulous person, without any oversight, conducts such activities. The dog was collected in Moscow, and the owners were informed it would live in an apartment, sleep in a bed, and receive humane training. Looking at all these videos and photos, there was zero remorse. And it`s understandable, why would you feel remorse if you`ve been running this business for several years, and it operates exactly as it was exposed—with dirty cages and so on? Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence. Regarding the quality of a pet hotel, one needs critical thinking and intuition. And thirdly, don`t trust written reviews; trust your own eyes. They are excellent psychologists in the moment. But you need to understand that this service is not quite right from the start; when you plan to work with your pet, invite a dog trainer to your home, you trust — but verify. Say, `Can we come visit?` If you realize that the first time you try to visit, they say, `Oh, the car had an accident.` Two days later, `Can we visit?` The answer: `We`ve been flooded.` That is, when you realize they refuse your visit a second time, you should already be suspicious. Come and see what`s happening without waiting for their `convenient` times. Which is what people eventually did. It`s just a pity that so much time passed, and animals were abused for a prolonged period.”
In total, approximately 50 animals were affected at DogTown near Chekhov. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has initiated a criminal case. The owners of the pet hotel were not detained after their interrogation by the Investigative Committee.
Another DogTown pet hotel facility exists in Podolsk, Moscow Region.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth